Can you buy a Makiwara?

There are custom makiwara brackets that you can buy, and if you are a competent welder you can make one yourself.

Do makiwara boards work?

In summary, both the punching heavy bag and the makiwara are helpful martial arts training aids. They are both friendly, and will stay put for you for as long as you want (unlike a training partner holding mitts, Thai pads, or his body for you to strike, who will tire or get bored).

How do you make a makiwara?

To make an age-makiwara, hold two boards together a rubber pad in between at each end, then wrap with a cord at both ends to secure everything in place. Wrap the outer board with straw rope or leather for striking then hang the resulting instrument from a ceiling beam or eyebolt.

How tall should a makiwara board be?

The Makiwara is a vertical wooden board about 5-7 feet in height. At the striking height, the Makiwara will generally have a pad of rice straw or foam rubber padding. This is done in order to lessen the impact on a fist or elbow strike.

What is the purpose of a makiwara?

The makiwara is used by karate practitioners to practice strikes in much the same way as a boxer uses a heavy bag. The makiwara develops one’s striking ability by letting them experience resistance to punches, kicks and other strikes.

What is a makiwara?

Makiwara means “striking post.” Maki means “to roll up” or “coil” while Wara translates to “straw.” The traditional karate striking post was a board wrapped with a straw coil on one end and buried in the ground at the other, hence the name makiwara.

How high should a makiwara post be?

If buried, an eight foot board is frequently used, with roughly four to five feet sticking out above the ground. I like to dig a hole in the ground, dump in some quick drying concrete, then place the makiwara post inside along with a secondary board behind it that is about a foot taller than the depth of the partially-filled hole.

How flexible does a makiwara need to be?

The makiwara needs to be flexible in order to operate properly. In general, it is better to be too flexible than not flexible enough.

Should I buy a makiwara or a heavy bag for martial arts?

While the makiwara and heavy bag can both help build stamina and endurance, the makiwara is structurally superior for traditional martial arts training. To begin, it offers progressive resistance like a bow.